This voiceover is an audio version of my Book Lovers Chat below. It is unedited, so may have some stutters, imperfections, and background noise. I hope you enjoy listening to it anyway!
Welcome to Generosity of Spirit, a gentle community for YOU. We find pockets of time for slow & gentle living, books, writing, journaling & life affirming work. You are so welcome here in our cosy space, grab a cuppa & stay a while... 🐢🙏📚☕💌
This month, I want to recount all of my five star books from this year so far! I have always been quite tough with my five star ratings, I want a book to really grab me, enthrall me and leave me thinking about it long after the last page. Then, the real clincher … a book I immediately want to re-read. Well, lucky for me … there have been an abundance this year! I have a few contenders for book of the year already and it is only August!
Then read on for this month’s book reviews, summer reading bingo and some book-stack recommendations!
What have you been reading and enjoying this month?
Please do drop a comment at the bottom of this post to share what you are currently reading, I know myself and others get so many brilliant recommendations here from you!
I hope you are sitting comfortably, grab a cuppa, get cosy and let’s settle down for a read together…
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Theo Of Golden by Allen Levi
The Life of Chuck by Stephen King
The Elsewhere Express by Samantha Sotto Yambao
Mrs March by Viriginia Feito
How To Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson
The Given World by Melissa Harrison
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
The Artist by Lucy Steeds
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellor
Theo Of Golden by Allen Levi
The Given World by Melissa Harrison
The Artist by Lucy Steeds
Have you got any contenders for your book of the year yet? Let me know in the comments!
(all my summaries and reviews will be spoiler free)
4 STARS
It begins with a phone call. And it ends with a murder . . .
Seven friends gather on an idyllic Greek island.
Among them: the actress, the playwright, the housekeeper, the second husband and the wayward son.
There’s jealousy, betrayal, unrequited love, a handful of secrets and too many lies.
Thirty-six hours after they arrive one of them will be dead.
You’ll never guess who. You’ll never guess why.
I enjoyed this book so much more than I expected to. I was intrigued immediately, and I loved the unreliable narrator concept with Elliot a cynical playwright, who shares his story directly with the reader, as if we are two people in a bar having a drink together. Elliot only shares with the reader what he wants to … moving from the past, to the present, and....then to murder. The less said, the better with this book - but expect murder, revenge, romance and utter melodrama all set on a private Greek Island. The Fury is certainly compelling, a whole host of unlikeable characters, many twists and turns and a satisfying ending. I’ve heard good things about The Silent Patient by the same author, so I will certainly check it out!
4 STARS
Author Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life.
Grady calls his wife as she’s driving home to share some exciting news. He hears Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car, then nothing. When he eventually finds her car by a cliff edge, the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there . . . but his wife has disappeared.
A year later, Grady is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track.
Then he sees the impossible: a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.
My first ever Alice Feeney, and certainly will not be my last. The book’s blurb had me, I love books about writers and authors, and I loved the intrigue built in before even opening the book… does Grady really see his wife? And if so, where has she been and why did she disappear? Tell me more Alice!
Not quite a five star, but a strong four star read. Grady was a great character and I ate up the atmosphere created by this grief stricken author as he arrives at a spooky cabin, on a secluded and cut off Scottish island, with some strange strange locals! Grady starts to question what is real and what isn’t, as he starts to believe the island and perhaps it’s inhabitants are connected to his missing wife, and that maybe … just maybe she is on the island too. I loved the atmosphere, the mystery slowly unfolding, and the many twists and turns. Overall a brilliant story and genuinely a great mystery thriller.
🌟 5 STARS 🌟
The Blue sisters have always been exceptional … and exceptionally different.
Avery, a strait-laced lawyer living in London, is the typical eldest daughter, though she’s hiding a secret that could undo her perfect life forever.
Bonnie was a boxer but, following a devastating defeat, she’s been working as a bouncer in LA – until a reckless act one night threatens to drive her out of the city.
And Lucky, the rebellious youngest, is a model in Paris whose hard-partying ways are finally catching up with her.
Then there was Nicky, the beloved fourth sister, whose unexpected death left Avery, Bonnie and Lucky reeling.
When, a year later, the three of them must reunite in New York to stop the sale of their childhood home, they find that it’s only by returning to each other that they can navigate their grief, addiction and heartbreak and learn to fall in love with life again.
This is a book about family, loss, addiction, love and belonging. I loved reading about the Blue sisters. Each of the sisters is created with such care, they feel so realistic, such well rounded characters - as if they really could be walking around somewhere. Tragic, real, and totally engrossing. For such heavy content, Coco Mellor delivers the story with heart, confidence and beauty. The writing is gorgeous, so many lines I read twice, so many I want to go back and note down. The dialogue, particularly between the sisters was perfect. This book is for you if you are like me and enjoy family drama, and character driven stories.
3 STARS
Charles Arrowby has determined to spend the rest of his days in hermit-like contemplation. He buys a mysteriously damp house on the coast, far from the heady world of the theatre where he made his name, and there he swims in the sea, eats revolting meals and writes his memoirs. But then he meets his childhood sweetheart Hartley, and memories of her lovely, younger self crowd in – along with more recent lovers and friends – to disrupt his self-imposed exile. So instead of ‘learning to be good’, Charles proceeds to demonstrate how very bad he can be.
Unbelievably, my first Iris Murdoch novel - and I must begin by saying her writing is truly a marvel. Her skill with characters and setting is so impressive. The characters, and the story though - difficult. Our main character and narrator - retired theatre director Charles Arrowby is deeply unlikeable. He is a totally unreliable narrator as becomes apparent as we meet various people in his life from the past and the present and his version of events start to unravel. Charles is egotistical, sexist, controlling, manipulative and utterly delusional. And soooo at nearly 600 pages, being inside Charles’ head is tough. I didn’t love the story, I disliked all of the characters - but I was impressed by Iris Murdoch’s writing, which at times was truly beautiful. If anyone has any Murdoch recommendations, I would love to hear them!
I hope you are enjoying this cosy bookish letter 📚💌 if you are, you can support my work by buying me a coffee ☕️ . I’m so grateful for your company and support. Thank you 🙏
From My Reading Life is my monthly reflection on any books, characters, quotes, ideas or poems that have resonated with during the month. Each month, this section may take a slightly different form. This might be a line that resonated with me, an extract from something I have read and enjoyed, an inspirational quote, a poem, a character study, a book recommendation, or a quiet reading moment that I wanted to share…
This month … I have created a summer reading bingo sheet for you! Enjoy!
download below 📕
I hope you have enjoyed this month’s Book Lovers Chat! This is my favourite post to write - I just love putting it together and thinking and talking about books and reading!
As always, I’d love to know if you have read any of the books we have discussed here, what you are reading now, or if you have enjoyed any books recently you want to shout about! I’ll see you in the comments!
Happy Reading!
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